Britain 'appalled' as Russia and China block UN resolution on Syria

Russia and China have vetoed a resolution at the United Nations threatening
broad sanctions against the Syrian regime.

Sir Mark Lyall Grant, the British ambassador to the UN, said the Government was “appalled by the decision to block a resolution at bringing and end to the bloodshed in Syria”.

Russia and China, he said, “are failing in their responsibilities as permanent members, they are failing the people of Syria,” adding that 14,000 Syrians had died since the two powers first used their veto last October.

“The effect of their actions is to protect a brutal regime. They have chosen to put their national interests ahead of the lives of millions of Syrians. The consequence of their decision is further descent into bloodshed and all out into civil war,” he said.

The killing of three senior aides to President Bashar al-Assad on Wednesday only underscored the importance of a resolution aimed at ending the violence by supporting a peace plan spearheaded by Kofi Annan, the international envoy to Syria, said Sir Mark.

Despite strenuous Western diplomatic efforts, led by Britain, both countries opted to use their veto power granted them as permanent members of the UN Security Council.

The resolution would have triggered economic and travel sanctions if President Bashar al-Assad refused to withdraw his troops to barracks and stop using heavy weaponry within ten days.

The West hoped that with the support of key Syrian ally Russia, the resolution would end the violence and hasten the end of the Assad regime.

Eleven countries on the 15-nation council voted in favour, with two abstentions.

Russia had objected to any resolution drafter under Chapter VII of the UN charter, which has previously been used to justify military intervention, even though the wording was careful to exclude that option.

Russia’s decision was expected though there had been a brief glimmer of hope that it might support the resolution and distance itself from Mr Assad after Kofi Annan, the international envoy to Syria found some encouragement in a Tuesday meeting with Vladimir Putin, the Russian president.

A second vote is likely to be required later on Thursday to extend the mandate of the UN military observer mission in Syria, which expires tomorrow.

The mission is likely to take on a more political complexion after observers were often prevented from travelling safely around the country,.

Earlier, the Chinese foreign ministry issued a statement that indicated it would use its veto.

It said that China opposed all forms of terrorism and violence and that it "strongly" condemned the bombing Wednesday in Damascus that killed Syria's defence minister and his deputy.

"China is deeply worried about the rising tensions in Syria," the statement said. "China once again called on all related parties in Syria to cease fire immediately."

Unlike Russia, China does not have longstanding strategic ties to Assad's government, but Beijing opposes setting precedents that could potentially be applied to its troubled western regions of Tibet and Xinjiang. China feels burned by Western intervention in Libya, believing that the U.S. and European powers over-interpreted a U.N. resolution to attack the government of Col Muammar Gaddafi, not just protect Libyan civilians.